Netflix has announced that it is partnering with Sega to bring new adaptations of Sonic the Hedgehog, Crazy Taxi, and Stranger Than Heaven to its streaming service.
In a report from Variety, the next Sonic TV series will be an animated affair aimed at “upper pre-school audience,” with Sega describing it as a “high-voltage, comedic, yet emotionally grounded series built for kids who want to feel a little edge, a little attitude, and a lot of ‘that’s my crew’ wish fulfillment.”
Crazy Taxi will see a feature film written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, who penned the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun. It will be produced by Original Film’s Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher and Sega’s Toru Nakahara, the producers of the Sonic the Hedgehog live-action movie franchise.
“We couldn’t be more excited to continue our longstanding relationship with SEGA and bring Crazy Taxi to life with our partners at Netflix,” Moritz and Ascher said.
“This film is for anyone who’s spent hours behind the wheel of a yellow cab on their Dreamcast, with the music cranked up, smashing through everything in sight just to make the next fare.”
Stranger Than Heaven is an upcoming action-adventure game and prequel in Sega’s Like a Dragon franchise (more commonly known in the West as Yakuza), developed by RGG Studio. A film adaptation is underway with Nakahara as producer.
“Expect something cute yet cool for Sonic, hilariously crazy for Crazy Taxi, and a badass action drama for Stranger Than Heaven,” said Nakahara, “because we’ve got some amazing creative ideas lined up and we are just getting started. The whole team is absolutely thrilled!”
Brandon Riegg, VP of nonfiction and transmedia at Netflix, issued a statement on the projects.
“Great games already have what every adaptation is chasing — characters people love, worlds they know by heart, and fandoms that show up,” said Riegg.
“With Crazy Taxi, Sonic, and Stranger Than Heaven, we get to work across three completely different eras of Sega’s catalog, celebrating everything fans love, while introducing them to new audiences.”
Sega president Shuji Utsumi also commented on the three adaptations.
“We’ve watched Netflix take on stories across every kind of format and treat each one with real craft,” Utsumi said, “and seeing that same dedication applied to Sonic, Crazy Taxi and Stranger Than Heaven is something we at Sega are incredibly proud to be a part of.
“The fandoms of these games deserve storytelling that honors what makes each title special, and we know Netflix shares that commitment. This is just the start of what these titles can become.”
The next installment in the Crazy Taxi game franchise is Crazy Taxi: World Tour, which will launch in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Stranger Than Heaven, the video game, is set to be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC on January 15th, 2027. A Nintendo Switch 2 version has not been announced.
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Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
